CULVER CITY, CA — Nearly six months after it closed its doors for the last time in its most recent incarnation on February 2, the Culver City Ice Arena is still in limbo.

Today, the only signs of life at the rink, if you can call it that, are automobiles parked in its lot, which was rented to a nearby auto dealer for storage of its inventory.

Indeed, the building is dark, the ice melted away months ago. Despite that, the rink is still “breathing,” as owner Michael Karagozian cannot do anything with the building, other than operate an ice rink, due to zoning restrictions on the property.

The latest development is that on July 28, the City Council of the City of Culver City will consider declaring the property a City Cultural Resource, which, depending on the classification, could prevent the property owner from demolishing, removing or altering the exterior appearance of the building, “…in whole or in part, without first obtaining a Certificate of Appropriateness or a Certificate of Exemption.”

Participants in the All In For Hope charity poker tournament, sponsored by Echoes Of Hope, got a chance to take
a photo with the Stanley Cup on June 22, 2014, at the J.W. Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. Live.
Photo: Gann Matsuda/FrozenRoyalty.net

Echoes Of Hope grew out of Luc and Stacia Robitaille’s Shelter For Serenity, which provided assistance victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Echoes Of Hope “…strives to awaken the spirit of hope in the lives of at-risk and emancipated foster youth by providing the resources, knowledge, skills, love, and support they need to reach their full potential,” according to the organization’s web site.

At their annual All In For Hope poker tournament, celebrities and athletes played in the tournament, as did Kings alumni such as Noah Clarke, Pete Demers (retired head athletic trainer), Nelson Emerson, Daryl Evans, Mark Hardy, Sean O’Donnell and Jamie Storr.

LOS ANGELES — A couple of days have passed since the Los Angeles Kings celebrated their 2014 Stanley Cup Championship with their fans during a parade down Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles, turning west onto Chick Hearn Court, between Staples Center and L.A. Live, followed by a rally inside Staples Center.

Now that the initial excitement has died down just a bit, a look back at the rally indicates that it was more than a celebration. To be sure, the Kings celebrated their victory and expressed their gratitude. But they also used the event to send a few messages as well.

LOS ANGELES — Without some sort of miracle from above, the Culver City Ice Arena, where the Los Angeles Kings practiced for more than twenty years, starting in the mid-1970’s, is now in its final week of operation, set to close its doors for good on February 2.

Owners of the property have leased it to Planet Granite, which has announced plans to open a yoga, rock climbing and fitness center in that location.

Even though the chances of keeping the rink open are slim, at best, supporters have launched a campaign to save it, and have bombarded Planet Granite with messages protesting their plans.

“Since the announcement of the Culver City location, the Planet Granite team has received a great number of e-mails, phone calls and Facebook posts from members of the Culver City and greater L.A. skating community,” the company said in a statement posted on their blog. “We are overwhelmed by the depth of feeling within this group.”

Handshake line following the “media” game on January 22, 2014, the first test of the ice at
Dodger Stadium, prior to the Stadium Series game on January 25.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: David Sheehan/FrozenRoyalty.net

LOS ANGELES — If you listen to a lot of hockey fans in Canada, back east, and in other cold climates, they not only wonder how an ice hockey game could possibly be played outdoors in sunny Southern California, but many claim that by game time, the rink will be a swimming pool, not an ice rink.

Nevertheless, skeptics and doubters abound. But all one has to do is look back in history to September 27, 1991, when the Kings hosted the New York Rangers in a game played on an outdoor parking lot at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The logos of the Los Angeles Kings, the 29 other National Hockey League teams, and of the National Hockey League, are trademarks of their respective rightsholders and are used with permission of the National Hockey League.